Holy Interruptions

“Mom, can you help me hang pictures on my wall?” As I zoom through the kitchen, I immediately feel annoyed. I am trying to check my morning routine off my to-do list, and this request is not welcome or in my plan. I bark back, “In a little bit, Magdalena.” How often have I blurted that phrase without the real intention of keeping my word? Funny, my daily prayer is, “Lord, help me be the best mom I can be.” My deepest longing is close, intimate relationships with those I love. Yet, I squander, resist, and relinquish opportunities every day. My to-do list wins. Are holy interruptions on my to-do list? 

These moments line our twenty-four hours like a relentless winey dog who never stops whimpering. As women, the intimacy we understand with holy interruptions is undeniable. We were made for these sacred moments. Women instinctively realize our lives were created for connection and creating a safe space for others. Yet, often, we treat these opportunities like a nagging, winey dog who won’t leave us alone.

“Mom, look, watch me.” Pretending we don’t notice someone at the grocery store because we’re in a rush or don’t feel like visiting. We disregard our husbands as they come close because we’re busy cooking or cleaning. “Will you help me?” or “play with me.”

Why are we resisting the very things we long for? Who doesn’t yearn for a deep, intimate marriage? Who doesn’t hope for strong rapport, playfulness, and friendship with their children? Who doesn’t desire a close relationship with God? Yet, we forego daily holy interruptions that contradict these dreams. Mother Teresa once said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, feed just one. Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” My to-do list often feels like numbers, while I quickly accomplish as much as possible. Emily Freeman states, “Fear works both ways, keeping you from doing things you might want to do and convincing you that you have to do things you don’t want to do.” What we want to do is lean in. Lean into what matters.

I desperately want joy, and shunning my daughter from dance moves in the kitchen because I need to cook is counterintuitive to my deepest longings. Resistance wins every time I guard myself from holy interruptions.

Our obligations are real and important, but God slips small opportunities in the crevices of our day to help us grow in holiness and fill our deepest desires if we pay attention. 

Often, my heart is closed. I don’t want to stop doing what I’m doing. I mess up. So, I take a deep breath, apologize for my impatience, and seize the opportunity. Sometimes, I don’t seize the opportunity and have to apologize later. It’s no different from any small-step practice. One step forward and two steps back, but never quit. 

Magdalena’s photos hang on her wall, and they look beautiful. She’s the most important thing on my to-do list. Today, I’m adding holy interruptions to the list. 

How are holy interruptions creating space for your deepest longings?

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalms 37:23